It really is impossible to reach a doctor on call these days, isn't it?

December 3, 2010 5:27 AM

Accidentally overdosed on oral typhoid pills.

An hour ago I accidentally took all 4 oral typhoid pills rather than the 1-pill-every-2-days-for-4-days that I was supposed to do.
-The drug's literature just says that overdose is unlikely to occur, but if it does call poison control.
- Poison control says they don't know much but don't think there's immediate toxicity.
-Travel clinic receptionist where I got the drugs says dr will call me back in 24-72 hours.
-My primary care doctor isn't open yet and their # just refers me to 911 if I'm having an emergency.
-I'm eating now because the literature says food kills the vaccine, but I think it's probably too late for that as it has been an hour. Too late to try to throw it up.

I really don't want to go to the ER if I can avoid it.

I believe my last typhoid vaccine (a shot) is still good. It was supposed to expire in 6 months, I think, and somehow the travel clinic thought I should get re-vaccinated now rather than waiting 6 months. I don't have my yellow card on me so I can't double check that, but I'm pretty sure I'm covered as far as that shot goes.

Ever heard of such a thing? Any idea what I can expect over the next 72 hours or so? Suggestions?

posted by semacd to health & fitness (9 answers total)

It would help to know the name of the drug and how many mgs you took. I likely won't be able to help, but I'm sure there are others who have access to more information.
posted by inturnaround at 5:41 AM on December 3, 2010

Call a pharmacy and ask to speak to the pharmacist?
posted by galadriel at 5:43 AM on December 3, 2010

You seem to have done everything bar talk to a pharmacist, so I think that should be your next step. Have the drug packaging handy if possible, so you can provide details of what you took. I'm pretty sure pharmacists are educated in this sort of thing (more so than doctors, I'd guess).
posted by altolinguistic at 6:19 AM on December 3, 2010 [1 favorite]

You might also try calling public health. I just got a round of travel shots through public health which is the alternative to going to a travel clinic. They can be fairly well versed in the particulars of travel meds (or have a doctor on call).

Public health is more of a long shot than a pharmacist though so try pharmacist first.
posted by countrymod at 6:31 AM on December 3, 2010

It's vivotif.
posted by semacd at 6:45 AM on December 3, 2010

Be very careful about hand-washing and the like, because it looks as though an overdose might make you more able to infect others:

Five to 8 doses of the vaccine strain Ty21a containing between 3 to 10´100viable vaccine organisms were administered to 155 healthy adult males. This dosage was, at a minimum, 3-fold higher than the currently recommended dose. No significant reactions, e.g., vomiting, acute abdominal distress or fever, were observed. At the recommended dosage, the S. typhi Ty21a vaccine strain is not excreted in the feces. However, clinical studies in volunteers have shown that overdosing can increase the possibility of shedding the S. typhi Ty21a vaccine strain in the feces.

[from rxmed.com]
posted by Ery at 7:00 AM on December 3, 2010

Here is a report of someone who overdosed on it in 1997. Mild effects and complete recovery.
posted by SLC Mom at 7:08 AM on December 3, 2010

I would guess that if the literature says overdose is unlikely to occur, and Poison Control doesn't think it's an emergency, and the travel clinic where you got the oral vaccine doesn't think it's an emergency, you're probably going to be fine.

You can certainly wait till your primary care doctor's office opens.

Also, this sounds very much not like what you took:

"Five to 8 doses of the vaccine ... This dosage was, at a minimum, 3-fold higher than the currently recommended dose."

*I couldn't tell from your post if you'd spoken to a person at the clinic who evaluated the situation and told you someone would get back to you, or if you got a recording informing you of the time it takes to get in touch with someone.
posted by Sara C. at 11:50 AM on December 3, 2010

Reporting back...

@Sara C. - I had spoken with the travel clinic receptionist, not a doctor.

Since this morning, my primary care doctor and the travel clinic doctor both called me to say that I should be fine - not infectious, possibly still successfully vaccinated, and unlikely to have any consequences other than nausea.
posted by semacd at 11:59 AM on December 3, 2010